Schenectady

Mayor Gary McCarthy said the city will seek bids from contractors to demolish decrepit properties now that the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development has apparently clarified the uses for a loan.

A nearly $2.5 million HUD loan can be used for that purpose whether the structures are owned by the city or not, according to the federal agency.

McCarthy said some properties destined to be knocked down might have environmental problems that need to be remediated before they can be bulldozed.



"This loan is going to be used for the worst of the worst property and that has been the assumption we've been working on from Day One," McCarthy said Wednesday. "My position has been that we could always use it for pretty much anything."

Last month, Acting Director of Development Richard Purga told the Times Union that city officials discovered the terms of the loan prohibited them from tearing down properties already owned by the city.

City Attorney John Polster was in court Wednesday but his office said city officials were scheduled to huddle later in the day to discuss the HUD loan.

An attorney in Polster's office previously said only 10 of the 325 properties in foreclosure were on the demolition list and the city would decide in August whether to assume title to the foreclosed properties depending on the parameters of the HUD loan.

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer has advocated in Washington for the city to receive the loan.

"I was none too happy with the confusion and poor communication that followed so I made sure the decision-makers at HUD understood that they needed to allow Schenectady to use the loan – ASAP – for its intended purpose: to address blighted homes," said Schumer in a statement. "I am glad that HUD has come to its senses and decided to clarify the loan terms, freeing up Schenectady to carry out its original demolition plans, which will energize renovation and revitalization throughout the city."

pnelson@timesunion.com • 518-454-5347 • @apaulnelson

Chuckie Schumer had to pull some strings to get the OK on knocking down the buildings because McThug is afraid he will lose 2015 election if he doesn't do something about the blight. McThug has FAILED in handling the City's blight and foreclosures. McThug can't even sell one house! A lame a$$ duck Mayor on HOMES bus tours!  Got news for you McThug 2015 election is right around the corner and you still have tons of foreclosed houses in your hands. You can't solve this problem only a Rep/ Alliance Mayor can solve Schenectady housing problem! As for the blight you can knock down  80 and 200 more will pop up to be boarded up because of your failed policies. #Unqualified Mayor

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#Unqualified Mayor

agree...with salary and pension we have a mayor making a 1/5 of a million dollar per year who cant handle anything...step aside gracefully and let someone else see what they can do...at this point even one of the proctors leading lady leaches would do better {shun the thought!}

also ALL city employees should be alcohol and drug tested regularly...even the mayor  

The most important question to ask is WHY, under the dem leadership, are there so many abandoned houses and WHY is this being done at taxpayers expense?   The downtown millionaires should be footing the bill.  Oh wait, the taxpayers are going to pay for demolition of a building owned by the billionaire Galesi.

And in exchange for paying higher taxes to pay off the loan, what will the taxpayers get?   A ghost town!


Oh wait, some cheerleader for the dems says the city is doing wonderful.  If so, WHY is the city making the financially struggling homeowners pay for this, especially why are the dems making the financially struggling people pay for the demo of a billionaire's property?

We'll just see the usual nonsense babble out of him, and he will NOT address the falling tax base, falling home values, falling home sales, blight spreading like wildfire, reduction in essential city services, etc.